The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 The festival of Shavu'ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place.
1
And when the day of Pentecost was come, they were all together in one place.
2 Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
2
And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like the rushing of a violent wind, and all the house where they were was full of it.
3 Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them.
3
And they saw tongues, like flames of fire, coming to rest on every one of them.
4 They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
4
And they were all full of the Holy Spirit, and were talking in different languages, as the Spirit gave them power.
5 Now there were staying in Yerushalayim religious Jews from every nation under heaven.
5
Now there were living at Jerusalem, Jews, God-fearing men, from every nation under heaven.
6 When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered; they were confused, because each one heard the believers speaking in his own language.
6
And when this sound came to their ears, they all came together, and were greatly surprised because every man was hearing the words of the disciples in his special language.
7 Totally amazed, they asked, "How is this possible? Aren't all these people who are speaking from the Galil?
7
And they were full of wonder and said, Are not all these men Galilaeans?
8 How is it that we hear them speaking in our native languages?
8
And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth?
9 We are Parthians, Medes, Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Y'hudah, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia,
9
Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome;
10
In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews by birth and others who have become Jews,
11 Jews by birth and proselytes; Jews from Crete and from Arabia. . . ! How is it that we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great things God has done?"
11
Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God.
12 Amazed and confused, they all went on asking each other, "What can this mean?"
12
And they were all surprised and in doubt saying to one another, What is the reason of this?
13 But others made fun of them and said, "They've just had too much wine!"
13
But others, making sport of them, said, They are full of new wine.
14 Then Kefa stood up with the Eleven and raised his voice to address them: "You Judeans, and all of you staying here in Yerushalayim! Let me tell you what this means! Listen carefully to me!
14
But Peter, getting up, with the eleven, said in a loud voice, O men of Judaea, and all you who are living in Jerusalem, take note of this and give ear to my words.
15 "These people aren't drunk, as you suppose - it's only nine in the morning.
15
For these men are not overcome with wine, as it seems to you, for it is only the third hour of the day;
16 No, this is what was spoken about through the prophet Yo'el:
16
But this is the thing which was said by the prophet Joel;
17 'ADONAI says: "In the Last Days, I will pour out from my Spirit upon everyone. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.
17
And it will come about, in the last days, says God, that I will send out my Spirit on all flesh; and your sons and your daughters will be prophets, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will have dreams:
18 Even on my slaves, both men and women, will I pour out from my Spirit in those days; and they will prophesy.
18
And on my men-servants and my women-servants I will send my Spirit, and they will be prophets.
19 I will perform miracles in the sky above and signs on the earth below blood, fire and thick smoke.
19
And wonders will be seen in heaven, and signs on the earth, blood and fire and smoke:
20 The sun will become dark and the moon blood before the great and fearful Day of ADONAI comes.
20
The sun will become dark and the moon will be turned to blood, before that great day of the Lord comes in glory:
21 And then, whoever calls on the name of ADONAI will be saved."'
21
And whoever makes his prayer to the Lord will have salvation.
22 "Men of Isra'el! Listen to this! Yeshua from Natzeret was a man demonstrated to you to have been from God by the powerful works, miracles and signs that God performed through him in your presence. You yourselves know this.
22
Men of Israel, give ear to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man who had the approval of God, as was made clear to you by the great works and signs and wonders which God did by him among you, as you yourselves have knowledge,
23 This man was arrested in accordance with God's predetermined plan and foreknowledge; and, through the agency of persons not bound by the Torah, you nailed him up on a stake and killed him!
23
Him, when he was given up, by the decision and knowledge of God, you put to death on the cross, by the hands of evil men:
24 "But God has raised him up and freed him from the suffering of death; it was impossible that death could keep its hold on him.
24
But God gave him back to life, having made him free from the pains of death because it was not possible for him to be overcome by it.
25 For David says this about him: 'I saw ADONAI always before me, for he is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.
25
For David said of him, I saw the Lord before my face at all times, for he is at my right hand, so that I may not be moved:
26 For this reason, my heart was glad; and my tongue rejoiced; and now my body too will live on in the certain hope
26
And for this cause my heart was glad and my tongue full of joy, and my flesh will be resting in hope:
27 that you will not abandon me to Sh'ol or let your Holy One see decay.
27
For you will not let my soul be in hell and you will not give up your Holy One to destruction.
28 You have made known to me the ways of life; you will fill me with joy by your presence.'
28
You have made me see the ways of life; I will be full of joy when I see your face.
29 "Brothers, I know I can say to you frankly that the patriarch David died and was buried - his tomb is with us to this day.
29
My brothers, I may say to you openly that David came to his death, and was put in the earth, and his resting-place is with us today.
30 Therefore, since he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn an oath to him that one of his descendants would sit on his throne,
30
But being a prophet, and having in mind the oath which God had given to him, that of the fruit of his body one would take his place as a king,
31 he was speaking in advance about the resurrection of the Messiah, that it was he who was not abandoned in Sh'ol and whose flesh did not see decay.
31
He, having knowledge of the future, was talking of the coming again of Christ from the dead, that he was not kept in hell and his body did not see destruction.
32 God raised up this Yeshua! And we are all witnesses of it!
32
This Jesus God has given back to life, of which we all are witnesses.
33 "Moreover, he has been exalted to the right hand of God; has received from the Father what he promised, namely, the Ruach HaKodesh; and has poured out this gift, which you are both seeing and hearing.
33
And so, being lifted up to the right hand of God, and having the Father's word that the Holy Spirit would come, he has sent this thing, which now you see and have knowledge of.
34 For David did not ascend into heaven. But he says,
34
For David has not gone up into heaven, but says, himself, The Lord said to my Lord, Be seated at my right hand,
35 'ADONAI said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet."'
35
Till I put all those who are against you under your feet.
36 Therefore, let the whole house of Isra'el know beyond doubt that God has made him both Lord and Messiah - this Yeshua, whom you executed on a stake!"
36
For this reason, let all Israel be certain that this Jesus, whom you put to death on the cross, God has made Lord and Christ.
37 On hearing this, they were stung in their hearts; and they said to Kefa and the other emissaries, "Brothers, what should we do?"
37
Now when these words came to their ears their hearts were troubled, and they said to Peter and the other Apostles, Brothers, what are we to do?
38 Kefa answered them, "Turn from sin, return to God, and each of you be immersed on the authority of Yeshua the Messiah into forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Ruach HaKodesh!
38
And Peter said, Let your hearts be changed, every one of you, and have baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will have the Holy Spirit given to you.
39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for those far away - as many as ADONAI our God may call!"
39
For the word of God is for you and for your children and for all those who are far off, even all those who may be marked out by the Lord our God.
40 He pressed his case with many other arguments and kept pleading with them, "Save yourselves from this perverse generation!"
40
And with more such words he gave his witness, offering them salvation and saying, Come out from this evil generation.
41 So those who accepted what he said were immersed, and there were added to the group that day about three thousand people.
41
Then those who gave hearing to his words had baptism: and about three thousand souls were joined to them that day.
42 They continued faithfully in the teaching of the emissaries, in fellowship, in breaking bread and in the prayers.
42
And they kept their attention fixed on the Apostles' teaching and were united together in the taking of broken bread and in prayer.
43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many miracles and signs took place through the emissaries.
43
But fear came on every soul: and all sorts of wonders and signs were done by the Apostles.
44 All those trusting in Yeshua stayed together and had everything in common;
44
And all those who were of the faith kept together, and had all things in common;
45 in fact, they sold their property and possessions and distributed the proceeds to all who were in need.
45
And exchanging their goods and property for money, they made division of it among them all, as they had need.
46 Continuing faithfully and with singleness of purpose to meet in the Temple courts daily, and breaking bread in their several homes, they shared their food in joy and simplicity of heart,
46
And day by day, going in agreement together regularly to the Temple and, taking broken bread together in their houses, they took their food with joy and with true hearts,
47 praising God and having the respect of all the people. And day after day the Lord kept adding to them those who were being saved.
47
Giving praise to God, and having the approval of all the people; and every day the number of those who had salvation was increased by the Lord.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.